Judges
Shawn Hubler’s statement in her Feb. 17 column that only 7% of the judges appointed by Govs. George Deukmejian and Pete Wilson had experience as public defenders is quite misleading, as it gives the impression that the other 93% had prosecutorial backgrounds. The judges who make up the Los Angeles Superior Court come from a wide variety of legal disciplines, such as civil, family law, private defense practices and corporate staff attorneys, as well as from U.S. district and city attorneys’ offices.
The supervising judge of the court’s criminal division, Larry P. Fidler, is a former criminal defense attorney and I come from a civil background. More important, no matter what their former practices, these men and women are chosen to serve as judges because they are fair-minded. It has been our experience that most judges with criminal assignments are quite acceptable to both defense and prosecution.
VICTOR E. CHAVEZ
Presiding Judge
Superior Court, Los Angeles
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